Saturday, June 16, 2012

Recent Happenings

So, it’s been a while since I’ve chatted with you. Thought it was time for a little update on the recent happenings around our home. We stay busy with life. We are still doing school with our year round schedule. We will finish at the end of July or first of August, take a break for 2-3 weeks, and start our next school year. I like the flexibility with year round school. It works for our home and keeps the kids busy and on a routine that’s good for them.

This past week, three of my children (Cade, Cai, and Abram) went up to visit my family for a week. My aunt came and picked them up. They like to get the kids for a week in the summer but we have to send them in shifts due to the number they can fit in their vehicle. One of the rules is that you have to be potty trained to go so I have 7 that are eligible. This group came back on Friday and the next group left this morning. So, this week I’ll be missing Ian, Tate, Emma, and Sarah.

Also, this past week I had my first ultrasound and midwife appointment to check on our latest pregnancy. My dates were a little off due to the miscarriage but not too much. Our little peanut looked great and I got to see the heartbeat (122 bpm). The ultrasound said that I was 6 weeks and 2 days that day. I’ll go back in about 6 weeks for a check-up and they are going to do a sneak peek to check on baby again since I was early. Our due date is Feb. 3rd.

While our first group was gone, I took the kids to the zoo on Thursday. We had finished our school week and we have been dealing with walking pneumonia in our house (Rob, Emma, and Asa) so I wanted to treat them to a special day with momma. We had a great time together. My four students finished their school work up in a timely manner allowing us to finish early in the week. I think this is the first time that I have taken them to the zoo by myself without other friends joining us.

We didn’t do our usual walk thru. This time we hit the parts of the zoo that we don’t normally visit. We rushed to the otters trying to catch the show which we always miss but it was over before we got there. However, the otters were very active and it was the most we had ever saw swimming in there.

Isaac watching the otters.

Watching the otters

This was a very interesting bird that I have never seen at the zoo. It’s a Rhinoceros Hornbill bird. It even hops when it walks and it has fuzzy legs.

My crew for the day visiting with the giraffes.

Isaac playing at the play area sitting on a frog.

Emma and Tate underground looking at the gophers.

Sarah grooming a pregnant goat.

Asa petting and grooming a sheep.

It was a fun day. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and the rain held off until we got home from the zoo. We also had doctor appointments for the kiddos earlier in the week. (Two check-ups and 2 seeing the doctor for pneumonia) It was a busy week but a fun week.

We found out which kids are our loudest because it was a pretty quiet week when group one gone. This week will probably be louder even though there are fewer children. It will be interested to see if my three students this week will be motivated to do their school work in a timely manner too.

I have just *met* you via Christina. I scrolled through to get to know you a little bit. We are a Christian family in Canada (we are Reformed Baptists too ~ I believe you are?) who are praying for you as you go through this very deep providence. The LORD is Great and will carry you through. HIS ways are truly higher than ours. We often do not understand or comprehend the *why*, but, we know that HE will never leave us nor forsake us. May you know HIS deep abiding peace in the midst of this trial, and may HE continually be glorified through you...